Various Items
Sadly, I don't have the time tonight to write any of the posts that are rattling around in my head. It's just one of those weeks at work.
But I thought I'd at least take a second to highlight a couple of items that I found interesting today.
(1) Bob Somerby writes the post I never got around to writing, a question-by-question deconstruction of Brian Williams embarrassing performance at the first Democratic presidential debate. I'm glad I never found the time to write that post because Somerby would have put it to shame. He's in top form. It's well worth your time.
(2) Murray Waas has a fascinating article in the National Journal describing a secret order by Alberto Gonzales that delegated unprecedented control over the hiring and firing of senior Justice Department officials--including those who oversee the DOJ criminal division--to Kyle Sampson and Monica Goodling. This order bypassed the traditional authority given to the deputy attorney general, the associate attorney general, and other senior Justice Department officials to control their own staffs and placed this important authority in the hands of two inexperienced and highly partisan individuals who, by all accounts, worked very closely with the White House. It is truly alarming the lengths to which this White House has gone to politicize our criminal justice system. I wonder how long it will take to undo the institutional damage wrought by this administration.
By bringing this story to light now, Waas has done a huge service to the members of Congress who will soon be questioning Monica Goodling. Her testimony should be fascinating. For more on this issue, I recommend Hilzoy.
(3) In case you missed it, here's David Iglesias on Real Time with Bill Maher.
(4) Prediction. This man will be the Republican nominee in 2008. It's time to start thinking about how best to deal with him.
(5) I get this feeling too sometimes. But then I read things like item #1 above, and the feeling dissipates.
But I thought I'd at least take a second to highlight a couple of items that I found interesting today.
(1) Bob Somerby writes the post I never got around to writing, a question-by-question deconstruction of Brian Williams embarrassing performance at the first Democratic presidential debate. I'm glad I never found the time to write that post because Somerby would have put it to shame. He's in top form. It's well worth your time.
(2) Murray Waas has a fascinating article in the National Journal describing a secret order by Alberto Gonzales that delegated unprecedented control over the hiring and firing of senior Justice Department officials--including those who oversee the DOJ criminal division--to Kyle Sampson and Monica Goodling. This order bypassed the traditional authority given to the deputy attorney general, the associate attorney general, and other senior Justice Department officials to control their own staffs and placed this important authority in the hands of two inexperienced and highly partisan individuals who, by all accounts, worked very closely with the White House. It is truly alarming the lengths to which this White House has gone to politicize our criminal justice system. I wonder how long it will take to undo the institutional damage wrought by this administration.
By bringing this story to light now, Waas has done a huge service to the members of Congress who will soon be questioning Monica Goodling. Her testimony should be fascinating. For more on this issue, I recommend Hilzoy.
(3) In case you missed it, here's David Iglesias on Real Time with Bill Maher.
(4) Prediction. This man will be the Republican nominee in 2008. It's time to start thinking about how best to deal with him.
(5) I get this feeling too sometimes. But then I read things like item #1 above, and the feeling dissipates.
posted by A.L. at 11:55 PM
4 Comments:
Screw Fred! I want Jeri and her "jugs of freedom" to be president!
http://www.celebritywonder.com/picture/Jeri_Thompson/
Jeri has Desert Passion indeed.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0106705/
I applaud her soft core skills but some rather uptight wingers have expressed their distaste for sex in the oval office.
Picture unavailable?
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0860286/
Must be an oversight.
I read on Murray Waas' article about how Gonzales gave his aides more authority. There is definitely something wrong with this picture of the organizational chart of the DOJ. The Deputy Attorney General is in second command of the Attorney General. And here is the latest of McNulty in the Washington Post:
Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty told congressional investigators that he had limited involvement in the firing last year of eight U.S. attorneys and that he did not choose any to be removed, congressional aides familiar with his statements said yesterday.
This is interesting. McNulty had limited involvement as Deputy Attorney General in the firings of the USA. Gonzales stated that he can't recall anything from the firings and signed on documents that he didn't read yet Gonzales' aide Kyle Sampson and other employee Monica Goodling had much authority and strategy plan to fire USA. A very dysfunctional AG office. Gonzales is definitely out the door of being fired. I am looking forward to Gonzales' testimony on May 10. Congressional committee will be much harder in questioning Gonzo than the Senate Committee.
P.S. Fred Thompson? Sigh... He should stick to acting on Law and Order. And I wonder if Martin Sheen from West Wing or Dennis Hastert (who played President David Palmer) from the T.V. show "24." will throw their names in the hat for Prez. Thompson only thrown his name as candidate after his buddy Scooter Libby, now a conviced felon, was convicted on 4 counts of obstruction of justice, lying to the FBI,lying to the grand jury, and making false statements. And I wonder if Scooter was found innocent by the jury, would Thompson be that eager to run for President in 2008?
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